Rains bring isolated flooding

By GWEN ALBERS Western News Reporter

During Stan Tallmadge's 55 years of living on Bull Lake, he'd never seen the water as muddy as he did this week.

The rain that drenched Lincoln County, including the 7.6 inches that fell between Sunday evening and Wednesday morning in the Kootenai-Cabinet region's Poor Man Creek area, is to blame.

"That's the big cause of your flooding," said Bob Nester, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Missoula. "It's 5,600 feet up there, and the water just filled into the streams and went down hill into the Bull River basin."

No one was hurt from the flooding, which occurred along Libby Creek and other waterways, said Marc McGill, director of Lincoln County Emergency Management Agency. McGill also was unaware of any structural damage.

"Quite a few sandbags were furnished to the folks that requested them," he said. "And there was a bridge damaged on a Forest Service road in the Deep Granite area."

The amount of water pouring into Bull Lake was amazing.

"We've seen flooding in January, when the mud washed on the ice, but this time the whole lake is muddy," said Chris Tallmadge, who is Stan's wife. "The water came up five feet in one day."

"I've never seen it like this, and I've lived here for about 13 years," added daughter-in-law Pam Tallmadge. "One of our docks floated off somewhere. It's gone."

From one to two miles away from her Bull Lake home, Pam Tallmadge said the rushing water from Ross Creek sounded like a freight train.

"It was so loud," she said. "You could stand on the bridge and smell the heaviness of the mud and dirt. I'm just blown away. You really get a feel for how forceful nature is."

The National Weather Service reported that Libby received 1.83 inches of rain and Troy got 2.84 inches between Sunday evening and Wednesday morning.

Nester didn't think melting snow from the mountains contributed to the flooding.

Flooding in Libby began at 7 a.m. Tuesday when the water in Libby Creek at the East Fifth Street bridge flowed over the banks, McGill said. County road workers used dirt and rock to stop the flooding.

Later in the day, water from Granite Creek was washing away a bridge and road on private property. Water ran onto Cherry Creek Road.

Libby Creek also flooded portions of Wards Road and McKays, Dawson and Trainers streets off Farm to Market Road.

"All of those areas had some flooding around some residences," McGill said. "At the end of Wards, David Thompson Search and Rescue had to remove a family."

Two families spent the night at The Caboose Motel. Dawn Ferdig and her family were included.

Ferdig, who is five months pregnant, awoke at her Wards Road home to light flooding Tuesday. Her husband, Harb Whitwell, watched the water force the pavement up and roll it over.

As the creek continued rising, they evacuated with help.

"A friend of mine came over with his big ole' diesel truck," Ferdig said. "The water was up to the (truck's) door."

As for more rain, there's a slight chance of snow showers on Thursday and Friday. For Friday night, there's a 70 percent chance of rain and snow showers. It drops to a 50 percent chance Saturday and 40 percent Sunday.